Today on the Hill: No Progress on Funding Deal As Government Shutdown Enters 20th Day

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are remaining steadfast in their respective positions on the partial government shutdown as a deal to fund the shuttered departments and agencies remains elusive. After passing the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) funding bill yesterday, House Democrats have queued up a pair of measures (H.R. 265; H.R. 267) that would fund the Departments of Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, and Transportation as well as several independent agencies including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While it was rumored that dozens of House GOP lawmakers would join the majority’s effort to reopen the government, White House officials and GOP leadership appeared to stymie further defection as only eight Republican lawmakers joined Democrats in voting for the FSGG bill.

Meanwhile, Senators remain stuck on consideration of a middle east policy bill (S.1) as Senate Democrats have signaled they are prepared to block future legislative items so long as parts of the federal government remain shuttered. It remains highly unlikely that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will allow a vote on these spending bills absent support from President Trump, who has toyed with the idea of declaring a national emergency that would bypass Congress to fund his border wall priority.